Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 259 runs in the first Test

GALLE: Sri Lanka defeated Bangladesh by 259 runs in the first Test in Galle to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series on Saturday.

Skipper Rangana Herath claimed 6-59 runs as the hosts dismissed Bangladesh for 197 runs in the second innings in less than two sessions on the fifth day after the visitors resumed their batting on 67-0 in the morning.

His 23rd five-wicket haul in Tests took Herath’s tally to 366 wickets in Test cricket, making him the most successful left-arm spinner in Test history, overtaking New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori.

Opener Soumya Sarkar made highest 53 runs for Bangladesh in the second innings.

Earlier, spinners Dilruwan Perera and Rangana Herath each struck twice as Sri Lanka came within five wickets of a crushing victory in the weather-hit Test match reducing Bangladesh to 157-5 at lunch on the fifth day.

Resuming on 67-0 and needing 390 runs more for victory in the final day, Bangladesh collapsed spectacularly as they lost unbeaten overnight batsman Soumya Sarkar in the second ball of the morning.

Soumya got a leading edge off the first ball. It somehow missed a fielder. However, the next ball of medium pace Asela Gunaratne clipped the bails of his off stump to dismiss the left-hander with his overnight score of 53.

Perera then struck in successive overs, trapping Mominul Haque leg-before for five before forcing a catch from Tamim Iqbal to Gunaratne at slip for 19.

Herath delivered further blows when he removed Shakib Al Hasan for eight and handed Mahmudullah a second-ball duck in a space of three balls in one over.

Shakib gloved a catch to Dimuth Karunaratne at leg slip while Mahmudullah was deceived by an arm ball, which hit his back foot, to be adjudged lbw.

Bangladesh were all out for 312 runs in their first innings replying to 494 runs of Sri Lanka, who later declared their second innings on 274-6.